


When We Meet a Mutual Heart

by Mara



Category: Kamen Rider Ghost, Kamen Rider Kuuga
Genre: Gen, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 07:10:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8153405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: Takeru's at loose ends after his victory. He's not the first to feel this way, nor will he be the last.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For Iain, who provided me with the prompt that generated this fic. Much to his dismay (I'm sure), I'm pretending the Kamen Rider 1 movie doesn't exist, because I haven't seen it yet :) And I'm pretending the Ghost/Drive movie doesn't exist, because the time travel plot made no sense and it irritated me.

After eating that first batch of onigiri, Takeru felt a little more…well, more human. And then everyone celebrated his return to life. Then they mourned the loss of Adel. 

All in all, it was a busy few days, with lots of emotional ups and downs. But a week later, Takeru awoke and stared at the ceiling. He assumed he should probably get up and do something, but he wasn't sure what. 

Akari was back in school and Alain was following her around and learning about the human world. Onari and Narita and Shibuya were back to the normal business of being a temple and training (although Onari looked hopeful whenever he heard anything that sounded paranormal). Makoto and Kanon were getting re-accustomed to their previous lives, both planning to finish school online.

Takeru stared at the ceiling for a while longer before he realized that if he stayed there too long, Onari would come and give him a chore to do. Which would be fine except for the itchy feeling in his head that said it wouldn't be fine at all.

Groaning, Takeru dressed and snuck out of the temple. He walked the gardens for a while, but the itch in his head didn't go away.

His stomach started to growl and he decided that takoyaki was the answer. Maybe Grandma Fumi's spirit was somewhere around and could dispense some useful advice. Chuckling at the thought, he made his way to the park.

When he arrived at the stand, Harumi was speaking to a customer, a man in a well-worn plaid shirt and hair tied back in a ponytail. As Takeru approached, he heard Harumi repeat the words that had broken so many hearts: "I'm sorry, but my grandmother died several months ago."

"Ah," the man said, "but she left you quite a legacy."

Harumi blinked, then looked around herself. "I…yes, yes, she did."

"Then she was content, I think." The man smiled broadly at her.

"She was."

"I would still like to eat some takoyaki, then."

Laughing, Harumi served him and turned to Takeru, already handing him his usual order. As he paid, she tilted her chin at the other man. "He was one of my grandma's first customers."

"Huh," Takeru glanced over at the man, who smiled at the both of them. The smile was oddly infectious and Takeru found himself drifting in that direction with his own food.

"Godai Yuusuke," the man said as Takeru neared. "Join me?"

"Um, sure. I'm Tenkuuji Takeru."

"You're a regular, I see." Godai nodded at Harumi.

"Since I was a child. My friends and I always came." The twinge at the memory of the years without Makoto and Kanon was still there, even if it was much better than it had been. Takeru stuck a takoyaki ball in his mouth hastily.

"I haven't been back in several years." Godai ate a ball, looking into the distance. "But Grandma Fumi helped me at a difficult time in my life."

Takeru just nodded, unable to articulate what she had done for him over the years.

Godai's gaze sharpened. "Since she's not here, maybe I can help."

"What?" Takeru stared

"I have some experience dealing with the aftereffects of heroism."

Frozen, Takeru wasn't sure if he should run or scream.

Godai frowned. "Your identity as a Rider wasn't kept particularly secret. Oh!" He brightened. "I forgot to mention that I was Kuuga, er, No. 4."

"No. 4?" Takeru managed.

"The Unidentified Lifeforms?" Godai sighed, tugging at his hair when Takeru continued to stare blankly. "I was a Rider 16 years ago. You were a child, I suppose."

Takeru nodded slowly. "You…"

"Yes."

They both ate some takoyaki.

Takeru looked at the man across from him. The more he looked, the more…familiar he seemed. But not as if he was someone he knew. Godai, well, it was the way he sat, the way he held himself.

It looked like Alain and Makoto and Akari and probably himself. Someone who was on alert even when they were relaxed. Someone who—in an ineffable way—didn't look quite like everyone else.

Godai was waiting patiently.

The table creaked as Takeru leaned forward. "I thought it would end," Takeru burst out.

Godai didn't seem confused by the non sequitur. "It will end."

"But you—" 

"My case is different because I still have Kuuga inside me." Godai shrugged, not looking particularly upset. "It took me a long time to come to terms with that. But you're human." He blinked. "You _are_ human, right? Kaoru didn't have a lot of time to investigate."

"Yes. I'm not a ghost anymore." Takeru thought about that. "So it will get better? This weird feeling?"

"Mmm." Godai ate more takoyaki. "Probably. Mostly. I'll bet you're wondering what you do now. What you do with your life."

Takeru nodded.

"You're not the first other Rider I've spoken to." Godai leaned forward. "Not everyone reacts this way. Some are just relieved."

"My friends." Takeru crossed his arms, feeling unreasonably annoyed. "Everyone is so busy and so _happy_. I feel ungrateful."

"It's normal." Shrugging, Godai balled up his napkin and carefully placed it in the empty takoyaki container. "Some, like me, never move on completely. Usually it's those of us who were changed and can't change back." 

"You—"

"Oh!" Godai sat up straight, eyes wide. "Don't feel bad for me! I wouldn't give it up for anything." He absently patted his stomach and for a moment, Takeru thought he meant the takoyaki. "This power let me protect everyone's smiles. That's enough." 

Takeru examined him closely, but he couldn't detect a whiff of insincerity. "You're right that I wouldn't give it up. Not if it meant the Ganma would have won."

"Exactly."

"But you're also right…what do I do now?"

"I don't know."

Takeru blinked. 

"I didn't say I had all the answers," Godai said. "Just that I had some experience."

"What did you do?"

"I traveled. I left my friends behind, because I wasn't ready to face them, knowing what I had become. Others have done that as well."

For a long moment, Takeru considered it. Packing a few things in a backpack and just walking down the road to somewhere nobody knew him. A twinge in his chest had him putting a hand over his heart. "I don't think I can do that."

"Others worked harder at their jobs." 

"I don't know if there's still a place for ghost hunters like my dad." Takeru sighed. "I don't really have a job."

"And many just took time to recover," Godai said. "They kept busy with doing what they could until their path became clearer."

Closing his eyes, Takeru sat and thought, certain by now that Godai would wait for him. The itch in his mind _was_ better for having had this conversation. Maybe now he could go back to the temple and help Onari with something. Or see if Alain wanted company, since he was still grieving, even if it was quietly. Kanon _had_ loaned him a book and he could read that.

Opening his eyes, he asked, "Do you, would you like to visit the temple? Maybe have dinner with us?"

Smiling, Godai shook his head. "Other places to be. But thank you."

"You're not…still traveling, are you?" Takeru shivered. The other man had said 16 years, hadn't he? 

"No no! Well, yes. I'm still traveling, but I go home too." The look in his eyes now was faraway but fond. "I always go home eventually."

"And someone is waiting for you." Takeru couldn't help the wistful tone.

"Yes," Godai said. "He's waiting. Everyone is, but Kaoru is the most impatient."

Takeru couldn't help but laugh at that. "Maybe when you come back?"

"When I pass through next, along with getting takoyaki, I'll visit your temple," Godai said. Standing, he held out one hand with the thumb up. 

Hesitantly, Takeru returned the gesture, which looked familiar. "Thank you," he said, rising and bowing deeply. "Um, give my regards to the other Riders?"

"I will." Godai grinned. "Don't be surprised if you run into one or two of the others on your own. It seems to be happening more often as the years go on."

And with that, he was gone, striding toward a motorcycle parked some distance away.

Takeru stood and watched him ride off until Harumi came over. "What were you talking about so seriously?" she asked.

"Lots of things," he said absently. "Grandma Fumi would have liked him."

"I got that feeling too." She patted Takeru's shoulder. "Hey, can you give me a hand later? I wanted to get some of my grandmother's art supplies out of storage. I think I've figured out how to keep painting and keep the cart going as well."

Smiling, Takeru nodded. "That's great! I'd be happy to help."

And to his surprise, he found he _was_. Maybe Godai was right and he just needed to keep busy until his path became clearer. 

Tenkuuji Takeru was alive and well and that was enough for now.

\--end--


End file.
